


You know what they say about assumptions...

by LadyMuzzMuzz



Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, Misunderstandings, No Incest, Platonic Relationships, Unreliable POV, V is an idiot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-24
Updated: 2019-09-24
Packaged: 2020-10-26 03:49:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20735756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyMuzzMuzz/pseuds/LadyMuzzMuzz
Summary: V doesn't know what to make of the boy, but there are two things he knows.One: Dante is his fatherTwo: Nero has no idea.





	You know what they say about assumptions...

V at first doesn't know what to make of the child.

All he knows that he is impressed that he's survived his injury, and is actually thriving. Although, as he glances at the still bandaged left stump, all that remains of the child's demonic arm, it may be just pure rage that is fuelling him, as they both rush down the Qliphoth's branch corridors, trying to make it to the trunk in time to prevent the incoming apocalypse. His bone-white hair is still matted from the hospital bed where V had found and recruited him, using only the idea of revenge to spur him into action.

White hair, that was the first sign that the child wasn't some ordinary human. The second was that familiar stubbornness that coursed with every action. Too stubborn to succumb to having his arm ripped off, too stubborn to let Dante have the satisfaction of 'stealing his fucking kill', as the boy had so delicately put it. The resemblances were adding up, causing an unsettling feeling in V's stomach.

“You okay on keeping up?” The child asks with a touch of concern as he slows down. V waves him off with annoyed grunt.

“Trust me, I will be fine, it's imperative we get to the centre as soon as possible.” Of course he would have to remind V of his own weakness, his own helplessness. Just like Dante.

They reach the giant throne, just in time he supposes, because that monstrosity has already taken down both Arkham's daughter, and the demon who wore his mother's face. Dante, too was on the edge of defeat, and were it not for the situation, he would have taken perverse glee. Finally, he'd defeated his little brother.

But then the boy, like an avatar of Vengeance herself, takes to battle, and V realizes too late how desperate the situation has gotten. The child is swatted away like a fly, and the last part of the puzzle locks into place.

Dante, who always keeps a front of carefree, lighthearted kind of guy, Goes Ballistic. He Triggers, breaks from his binds and launches himself at the reclining creature on the throne. Still, he's not able to penetrate Yamato's barrier, and as V helps the boy up, both V and Dante realize that everything has gone pear shaped.

“V, get Nero out of here, this was a bad move!” Dante screams, his voice distorted by his triggered form. The boy does not take this well, screaming his lungs out as rocks come tumbling down, blocking the way forward.

It takes all of V's meager strength to drag the child back to safety, urging him to get stronger, and the combined strength of Shadow and Nightmare to get them both of the rapidly out of the ever growing trunk. The boy still resists as he drags him and Dante's agent away from the blood seeking roots, away from the screams of the dying. V knows what's about to happen, and he knows that lingering will only contribute to the carnage. Best to make a strategic retreat, live to fight another day, and focus efforts on evacuating civilians.

He also knows two other things now.

Nero is Dante's son. Dante's reaction at his son's defeat, his demand that the boy be kept out of danger, it was what a father should do, would do. The other similarities are merely confirmation of the blood connection.

And two: The boy has no clue. He's currently raging at an army barricade, after calling for back up, swearing up a storm on how he's going to take his weapon and shove it in the abomination's unmentionable regions. He doesn't call for his father, doesn't vow vengeance for him, doesn't even weep. He only calms down a little bit after a phone call to his girlfriend, and even then, his anger simmers just under the surface.

V feels conflicted, as he empathizes with him, after all, his own father <strike>abandoned</strike> left his family just before they needed him the most. And yet, this boy is the son of his rival, and everything that irks him about his younger twin. He's brash, hot-headed, always ready with a quip, no matter how severe the situation (current one excepted).

Were the situation not so dire, he'd feel outraged that Dante, the irresponsible oaf that he is, has never told the child his heritage. But he has neither the time, nor the energy to do that. All he can do is try to mitigate the damage he's already caused, and plan for the offensive.

********

  
A week later, he has a better idea of who Nero is.

They're clearing out the remnants of what remains of home to allow Nicoletta to drive through. To be fair, it's mostly the young man and Shadow doing most of the work. V, much to his chagrin, can't lift anything much heavier than a melon, so he keeps watch, with Griffon scouting the skies above. Their 'genius' mechanic is currently working in her van on an improvement to Nero's crude prosthesis.

All of a sudden, Griffon swoops down shrieking “Oi! Looks like we got a live one here!” and lands on a leaning partially collapsed concrete wall. The young man clambers over the rubble, almost as agile as Shadow, and heaves the wall away. Despite the loss of his devil arm, he's still stronger than his figure would suggest.

There, squinting in the bright light, is a little girl, no more than ten, barely conscious, where she isn't covered in dried blood, her skin is unnaturally pale. Had his avian familiar not spotted her hand sticking out among the wreckage, she most likely wouldn't have lasted more than a few more hours.

“Hey there,” Nero greets as he slowly crouches down, speaking gently, considering his usual expletive filled demeanour. “We're gonna get you out of here, get you somewhere safe, okay?” The girl nods weakly, and Nero gingerly picks her up, pausing when she croaks in pain, before adjusting the way he holds her, as he picks his way through the debris.

“Hey Griffon,” he calls, “Let Nico know we got a new passenger that we need to get back to the barricades, ASAP'

“Roger that” the bird responds, without his usual snarkiness, and before they even reach the van, the engine is already warmed up. Nicoletta, recognizing the urgency, yet the delicate state of the girl, actually drives like a sane person. Surprises are the order of the day, it seems.

“V, I'm gonna get the first aid kit,” the young man hands him a bottle of water “She needs fluids now.” V nods, and slowly brings the lip of the bottle to her cracked lips. She doesn't notice, looking terrified in the distance. At first he thinks she's catatonic from terror, until she follows her sight at his two familiars, both preening themselves of the dust they've travelled through.

_ **Return** _

Shadow dissipates, as does Griffon, although he manages to squawk out “Hey at least give me warning bef..” both dissolving into his tattoos.

V smiles kindly at the girl and offers her the water again “It's alright, they're no longer here” which is a fib, since he can feel Griffon squawking angrily within himself. It's enough to convince the girl, who takes a tentative sip, then tries to guzzle the remainder before V stops her. “Not so fast, little one, you'll make yourself sick.” She nods, and continues to sip as Nero comes back to tend to the wounds he can while V speaks calming words:

_How sweet is the Shepherd's sweet lot_  
_ From the morn to the evening he strays;_  
_ He shall follow his sheep all the day,_  
_ And his tongue shall be filled with praise._  
  
_ For he hears the lamb's innocent call,_  
_ And he hears the ewe's tender reply;_  
_ He is watchful while they are in peace,_  
_ For they know when their Shepherd is nigh._

Among all the surprises of his compatriots, his own behaviour surprises himself the most.

An hour later, they've reached the army barricades, and Nero has carried the girl to a makeshift med facility, with her weakly waving to the others as she enters the tent. As much as they'd like to stay, there's too much to do, and every moment they spend idle, the Creature gets stronger. In a one week, the Qliphoth has grown exponentially. They don't have much time. He doesn't have much time.

Nero returns, a small, tired smile on his face “Doc says she'll make it. She's got a broken arm, and a concussion, not to mention nourishment and dehydration but she'll be...she'll be fine”

  
“Finally” Nicoletta says, taking a puff out of her ever present cigarette, “some good news. Speaking of which...” She holds up some boxy black electronic gadget “I finally fixed our car-phone. Aren't I a...wait a fucki-”

The young man grabs the phone like it's his missing devil arm, and starts punching in a sequence of numbers” After a agonizing length of time, V assumes he hears the person he's trying to call, as the tension leaks out of his body.

“Kyrie...” he says reverently. V's heard of her, seen her picture on the passenger side dashboard. She's Nero's girlfriend, and as Nicoletta says “They're so in love it's goddamn sickening”

“I'm fine, I'm fine... I mean, other than the missing arm, but Nico's working on a prototype replacement. She says it's gonna be just as good as my old arm, just need some demonic components, which hey, look at what we're fighting!” Nero chuckles, but then turns somber “No...no we haven't found him, or Trish or Lady. Don't worry, Dante's a stubborn asshole though, he'll find a way to get back.” the young man pinches the bridge of his nose, a sign that he's trying to convince both Kyrie and himself. “How are the kids doing?” Nero smiles as his girlfriend evidently starts telling tales about what they been up to. V is surprised at the mention of children. Nero is only twenty four, far too young to have a child, let alone multiple (although, doing some calculations, Dante must have had Nero at age nineteen. Foolish Dante) “He did what?...oh man, I gotta tell Nico about that, she'll love it. Yeah, Nico is here,” he pauses to let Nico yell out a greeting “She's having the time of her life here, don't worry about her. Oh,” he says nodding at V “We got a new guy, name's V, he's been a big help”

V can't help but feel a sense of pride at being described as helpful.

“Look, once Nico figures out a stable prototype, we're going on the offensive. I'm going to make that asshole regret even touching my arm.”

V already regrets that... among other things.

“I'll call you every evening, or get Nico to call you. I'll be home as soon as possible, I promise” he pauses “I'll tell him that. I guess I should let you get some rest, tell the kids I think about them everyday I...I love you too.” And with that, he disconnects the call, and stares at nothing, smiling to himself.

“Hey, lover boy!” Nicoletta snaps her fingers in front of his face, “Sorry to cut short your day dream, but we gotta get back and clear that road.” Nero grumbles, and gets into the passenger seat as their mechanic resumes her madlady style of driving, back into the city. V sits on the back couch and pulls out his poetry book, but before he can start reading, the young man yells back to him “Hey, V, once we're done with this shit, Kyrie says you should come over to our place and she'll make her signature pulled pork sandwiches. Trust me, those are to die for”

V startles at the invitation. He knows that no matter what happens, he won't be invited. Best case scenario, Nero will have nothing do with him. But still, the invitation is heartwarming. Very few things have ever been freely given to him since he was a child.

“I... I would like that.”

*******

He's pushed to himself to his limit. Nightmare: Gone. Shadow: Unsummonable. Even the bratty Griffon is silent. Not that any of them could help him now. V's skin is cracked, and he swears it's flaking off like a bad case of dandruff. If he felt weak before, he's debilitated now, so much he can't even muster the energy to get angry about it.

He's laying face down on the spongy material with no idea on how he's gotten there. There was Malphas... and some falling rocks, and... a gunshot? Everything else is murky. He turns his head, and in contrast to the dull red ground, his cane still shines brilliantly. It takes an immense amount of effort to reach for it, and an almost impossible amount of energy to use it to prop himself up. He's done the impossible so far, for a creature doomed to die shortly after his creation, if he can just pick himself up....

He collapses, and he swears he hears his skin crackling from the impact. There's a moment where his sight blacks out, and for a one tiny euphoric moment, he's free of the agony. It doesn't last long. He comes to, same position as before, except now he can't even reach for his cane, he just so....tired.

_This is it _ he thinks. And to be fair, he's done pretty well. Dante and Nero are on their way to face off against Urizen, and he knows his brother and nephew's strength will get the job done. Even if he can't rejoin with his demonic half, he's laid the groundwork to stop the carnage. That will have to be enough. It's a shame though, that Dante will probably be the one to finish him off. _I must be really out of it, _he thinks sardonically, _if the thought of being bested by my idiot brother is only slightly annoying me._ To be honest, he'd rather be taken out by his nephew. Nero deserves some sort of vengeance for all Vergil has done. _Perhaps Dante.... will give him... the Yamato.. yes, that would be nice_. He hears a voice talking to him, faint and fuzzy. Is it his mother? He hopes she isn't too disappointed in her prodigal son.

“**V!”**

His arm is pulled, and he feels warm hands steadying his shoulders as he's pulled up to a sitting position. Nero's brilliant blue eyes look at him in genuine concern.

“I'm going to state the fucking obvious, but you look like shit, V” his nephew keeps holding him, knowing the moment he releases, V will collapse right back on the ground.

He chuckles without mirth “Quite an astute observation.” And to his surprise, Nero grabs his cane and starts pulling him up to a standing position, placing the cane in his left hand, and slinging his right arm over his shoulders. “What are you doing, Urizen needs..”

“I know, but I'm not going to leave a friend to die in a place like this”

_A....friend?_

This is a foreign concept to V. Vergil never had friends. He had enemies, allies of convenience, even once a romantic tryst, but never friends. There was Dante, but ever since they were eight, they've been either lost to each other, or fierce rivals. Ironic then, that his nephew considers V a friend. Especially after all he's done.

“Besides, you saved my ass twice against Urizen, so if it makes it feel better, consider it a payback.” he pauses, “I'm serious though, you look real bad, you want to head back?”

V grunts as he attempts to place as much weight on his cane as possible “No... I'm doomed either way, I'm living on borrowed time.” this is quite possibly the most honest he's been to his nephew, but he then realizes that there's a seed of hope that perhaps he can finish his mission to completion. “Take me to Urizen, and I will help you defeat him, to the best of my ability”

His friend nods before adding “Odds are Dante will get there before us, but we'll pick him back up, and kick his ass together” And they slowly make their way down the deserted tunnel. Together. “Hey V,” he grunts, as he tries to find a comfortable rhythm for both of them to walk, “You feel up to quoting some of your Blake poetry? Might help us keep our steps in line.”

V wracks his brain for a moment, before settling on one,

_Tyger Tyger, burning bright,_

_In the forests of the night;_

_What immortal hand or eye,_

_Could frame thy fearful symmetry?_

His voice, weak as it is, echos in the hollow chambers, as the two friends trundle along, both steeling themselves for the final battle.

*******

The first thing Vergil feels after the Rejoining is... nothing.

It is a glorious feeling. After nearly a quarter of century of either being tortured, forced to submit, having his soul ripped apart and reformed, and then his physical form disintegrating, the lack of any sensation is a relief beyond words.

His memories of the past month from both halves start merging, like a pack of cards in hands of a skilled poker dealer. Urizen's memories are for the most part, uninteresting, consisting mostly sitting in his throne doing nothing (although he revels for a brief moment when the memory of his brother getting beaten) He cringes as he sees the memories of himself doing things that Mundus would do, like enslaving the two women to his will, and the creation of the fruit.

His human half, on the other hand, is much more interesting. Ironic, the part that he cast out, believing to be so weak and useless, has been the one to accomplish this. Perhaps he has been wrong about his humanity...

Other sensations start bleeding through, now that he is whole again, he can use his demonic powers to sense things. Like his brother, blazing white hot, like a super-giant star, who is only now understanding what has been done. Beside him, burning cooler, but more steady, is his nephew, who up to a few minutes ago, thought Urizen was just a run of the mill demon with delusions of grandeur.

“_They're brothers? Why would they fight each other?”_

“_The brothers of blood disagree on the very reason of their existence. They. Must. Fight.”_

“_That's ridiculous”_

He expected his nephew's demonic aura to be similar to his father's, and it is, but there's something...off about it, something familiar yet foreign. Bah, he has no time for such ruminations, especially since the battle between brothers is not yet finished.

Dante, fired with rage rushes him, but with his new-found strength, Vergil is ready for him, and easily blocks him, knocking him away. Dante, oh so predictable, charges again, but this time, Vergil warps and meets him halfway, letting their blades spark and smoke as they metal grinds against metal. Dante may have the strength, but like the superstar, he's gone through his reserves of energy rapidly. It only takes one arm to hold back his blade, where his brother is forced to use both hands.

He's done it. He's won. Of course, it was a long and painful route to victory, but the combination of his demonic side's strength, and his human side's guile and stubbornness, has come out on top. All that is needed now is for Dante to submit. But his prideful brother has invested too much into this fight to give up now, even if both of them know how this will end. All Vergil has to do now, is flick his wrist, knock Dante down, and aim for his heart. Victory is now within the palm of his hand.

But then another thought comes to him. Nero is standing there, wanting to join in, but unable to understand the enormity of this moment, that right now, his father is about to die. Vergil hesitates. Dante may not have told him, but eventually his nephew will find out his parentage, and will be forever hate himself forever for not preventing the death of his father, even if he's a lousy excuse for one. A feeling Vergil is well acquainted with.

Perhaps, in a different situation, he would not have cared. But Nero is more than just a child. He's his nephew, comrade...and friend. And while he has a bitter rivalry with Dante, his son is blameless in this whole affair.

And so, he makes a quick decision, and with a sudden burst of demonic energy, flings Dante back with the sheath of Yamato. His idiot brother isn't expecting this move, and barely manages to land on his feet.

“Heal your wounds, Dante” he states, his voice unfamiliar to him after decades of disuse “Get strong. Then...we'll settle the matter” And with that, he turns around to cut a portal. He needs time to think. Dante will inevitably come for him, and if Vergil is going to kill him, he's going to do it with his brother knowingly walking into battle, no surprises, just one on one.

Just as he begins to cross the threshold, he turns back to the still surprised Nero, who is staring at him with visible confusion. Vergil gives one of the few genuine smiles he's ever given in his whole life, and simply states..

“Thank you, Nero”.

It's sincere, although he feels like it sounds like he's mocking the boy, but in truth, he's mournful. He's taken a friendship and almost certainly destroyed it.

And as the portal closes, he hears his nephew yelling at him to wait (much like when they first met), he knows Nero feels the same way too.

**Author's Note:**

> This short story was inspired by a little headcanon I had that Vergil spares Dante after the Rejoining not because of honour, but because he doesn't want to kill Dante in front of (what he thought was) Dante's son. Synchron liked the idea, and thus began my feverish clattering on the keyboard. (no seriously, it was feverish because I have pink eye at the moment and feel like shit)
> 
> Tried to stick to the canon as much as possible, but made some teensy weensy adjustments. Also, I found out Prosthetic is a describing word, Prosthesis is the actual item. The more you know!


End file.
